Top Taco, B#@$h Brunch and 13 Other Food and Drink Events This Week

For the next seven days, Denver will be overrun with tacos. Between the Top Taco competition on Wednesday and Denver Taco Festival on Saturday, no one’s taco cravings will go unsatisfied this week. As for drinks, it’s all about the whiskey and wine. So put down your beers, and strap in for a week of wine dinners, whiskey classes and bourbon festivals.

The Lowdown: This buffet will feature nine hot entrees, a salad bar and a variety of dessert selections — all completely free of animal products. Vegans will also appreciate that Himchuli tries to cut down on waste by only making as much food as necessary. To help Himchuli accurately gauge how much food to prepare, you must buy tickets online before the buffet.

Tuesday, June 20

A Night of Scotch Whiskey with Southern Wine & Spirits

The Lowdown: Oneof the first Americans to be named a Master of Scotch, Rick Edwards will lead an expert whiskey tasting. To accompany the whiskey, Atticus will also serve a four-course dinner beginning at 7 p.m. Menu highlights include seared scallops in brown butter sauce and a dark chocolate and currant bread pudding.

Wednesday, June 21

TAG ‘Guest Chef Series’ featuring Coquette

The Lowdown: As part of their Guest Chef Series, TAG restaurant will welcome chefs Michael Soltzfus and Kristen Essig from New Orleans’ Coquette. For one night only, TAG and Coquette — two restaurants focused on using local ingredients — will work together to combine internationally-inspired flavors with classic southern cuisine.

Penfolds “Grange” Wine Paired Dinner

Photo courtesy of The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa Facebook

When: Wednesday, June 21, 6 – 9 p.m.

Where:The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa — 321 17th St., Denver

Cost: $250 — reserve by calling 303-312-5924

The Lowdown: Palace Arms at the Brown is serving a five-course meal paired with Penfolds Grange — one of Australia’s most highly acclaimed collections of wine. Each pairing will be expertly selected by Master Sommelier and US Ambassador of Penfolds Wines, DLynn Proctor. One guest will even take home a bottle of Penfolds Wine selected and signed by Proctor.

The Lowdown: All of the proceeds from this annual Volunteers for America fundraiser will go toward helping homeless women served at Irving Street Women’s Residence. Beyond helping a good cause, you will also enjoy a sneak peak of Urban Farmer Denver — a new steakhouse set to open in Oxford Hotel this July.

Top Taco

The Rosedale serving up tacos and tequila at Top Taco 2016. Photo by Justin De La Rosa

The Lowdown: For only $69, try unlimited taco and margarita samples from restaurants around Denver. You will also get to vote for your favorite tacos and cocktails while enjoying live music. If you splurge on the full VIP experience, you will also get access to a private lounge, exclusive tequila tastings and extra food cooked by 11 Denver star chefs.

Style the Perfect Charcuterie Board

The Lowdown: In this installment of The Study — Hotel Teatro’s monthly workshop — The Nickel’s Chef de cuisine Russell Stippich will lead a charcuterie tasting and styling session. Not only will you get to sample a variety of meats and cheeses, but you will also get to learn how to build your own charcuterie board. The ticket includes one cocktail, but more drinks will be available for an additional cost.

Friday, June 23

Experience The Brown with Jordan Winery

Photo courtesy of Jordan Winery

When: Friday, June 23, 6 – 8 p.m.

Where:The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa Lobby — 321 17th St., Denver

Cost: Free Admission

The Lowdown: Begin your weekend with some free wine and food samples served up in The Brown’s lobby. A wine specialist from Jordan Winery and Palace Arms Chef Garrett Kasper will be handing out sips and bites for all to enjoy.

Saturday, June 24

Taco Festival

The Lowdown: While munching on $2 tacos and sipping on specialty drinks, entertain yourself with live music, Lucha Libre wrestling, Chihuahua racing and live game shows. If you purchase the $60 VIP ticket, you will gain access to a private area and get four food and three drink coupons. For an extra $20, you can also experience Mexico in a Bottle — an exclusive event celebrating tequila, Mexican craft beers and mezcal.

The Lowdown: People of all ages can enjoy an event centered around thousands of pounds of bacon. On top of unlimited bacon strip samplings, food vendors from across Denver will be transforming bacon into a variety of different forms. The $50 Hungry Hog Package also includes access to the Jim Bean Bourbon tour — an extensive tasting of whiskeys from around the country.

Beer, Bacon & Bluegrass

Photo by Lindsey Bartlett

When: Saturday, June 24, 2 – 4 p.m.

Where:Black Shirt Brewing Co. — 3719 Walnut St., Denver

Cost: Free Admission

The Lowdown: Black Shirt Brewing Co. will provide the beer, Tender Belly will serve up the bacon and Old Fuss and Feathers will play the bluegrass. It won’t cost you a cent to gain access to an afternoon filled with red ales, good food and live music.

90s Bar Crawl

The Lowdown: Celebrate the best of the 90s with drink specials and classic 90s music at a number of Denver bars such as Howl At The Moon, ViewHouse and Lodo’s Bar & Grill. You will also receive a bar crawl cup and a welcome beer. The cost increases to $40 after Wednesday, so buy quickly to take advantage of lower ticket prices.

Cocktail Curriculum Class: “When I Was Your Age…ed Whiskey”

The Lowdown: On the second Saturday of each month, The Way Back’s bar team leads a cocktail-making class where you can learn to mix drinks like a pro, enjoy three cocktails and snack on bites prepared by chefs Sam Charles and Marcus Eng. This month’s class focuses on all things whiskey — Whiskey Sours, Manhattans and a variety of applications of Scotch. The evening after the class, you will also get 20 percent off your bill at The Way Back.

Sunday, June 25

Brunch Running, Denver: Brazen

The Lowdown: Start your Sunday off right with a 5k or 10k run through the Highlands to Sloan’s Lake. The run begins and ends at Brazen, which will be serving up brunch at the finish line. Your ticket includes the run, an entree and two drinks. For every ticket purchased, Brazen will also donate $1 to the Run Eat Drink Foundation.

Basic B#@$h Brunch

The Lowdown: Rose, a whole-roasted pig and French cuisine all play a central role at this wild brunch. Rebel Restaurant will be slow roasting a Berkshire pig while serving up French-inspired sides including macaroon towers and chocolate fountains. Meanwhile, Anvil Wine Company will provide Rose in all forms — from cocktails to straight out of the bottle.

About The Author

Illinois-born and Georgia-raised, Lexi appreciates cheesy deep-dish pizza as much as crispy fried chicken. Lexi spends most of her waking day trying to satisfy her insatiable appetite— especially her sweet tooth. But when she isn’t planning her next meal, stuffing her face, or baking a cake, Lexi can be found jogging or studying. Before she explodes from over eating, she plans to graduate from UGA with degrees in religion and management information systems.